Living in Lawrence, KS
College town in Kansas
Lawrence is a college town in Kansas, home to about 95,000 people, with 814,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Lawrence a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $305k and rents for $1,640 a month
- Dog-friendly: 9 dog parks within 9 mi
- Strong healthcare: 6 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 8 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Higher taxes: about $1,592 state income tax per resident, 1.26% property tax
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Lawrence ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Lawrence: common questions
What is the cost of living in Lawrence?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $305k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,640 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 90, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Lawrence?
Kansas collects about $1,592 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.26% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Lawrence safe?
Lawrence isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.
What is the weather like in Lawrence?
Lawrence has cold winters: winter days average around 41°F and summer days around 87°F, with roughly 10″ of snow a year.
Does Lawrence get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and tornadoes: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.12 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Lawrence?
The nearest major airport is MCI, about 38 mi away.
How Lawrence scores
Each bar compares Lawrence with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Lawrence right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.